The subject matter disclosed herein relates to elevator systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to maintenance of elevator system components.
A typical elevator system includes an elevator car that moves along a hoistway. The elevator system includes one or more batteries to provide electrical power to the elevator system for, in some cases, emergency power, emergency lighting or the like. Some elevator systems may further utilize battery power to drive movement of the elevator car along the hoistway in some modes of operation. The batteries typically are located in the hoistway and are connected to the elevator car via electrical leads. As such, to perform maintenance on and/or replace the batteries, a technician must enter the hoistway. Such entry requires that certain safety systems be in place, and that a specified safety volume and clearance space be provided for the technician. Moreover, stopping elevator system operation and entering the hoistway to perform service and or maintenance tasks is time-consuming and costly.
Further, regulatory bodies have specified necessary increases in safety volume and clearance for technicians entering the hoistway resulting in a larger overall volume of the elevator systems, while elevator system customers desire that the elevator system occupy a smaller overall volume.